Interlocking temporary modular floor

ABSTRACT

A modular floor is disclosed having a number of interlocking modular elements. Interlocking elements of the modular elements have surfaces which mate to prevent movement in planar directions. Gripping surfaces are provided to prevent slipping or movement of the modular elements with respect to a subfloor upon which the modular elements are temporarily placed. This modular floor is quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. The locking elements and the support element are easily attached to the modular elements via rivets screws or similar fasteners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

A modular floor is disclosed having a number of interlocking modular elements. Interlocking elements of the modular elements have surfaces which mate to prevent movement in planar directions. Gripping surfaces are provided to prevent slipping or movement of the modular elements with respect to a subfloor upon which the modular elements are temporarily placed.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the past modular flooring structures have been proposed. However, these structures have suffered from shortcomings such as difficulty in assembly and disassembly, complexity in design, and failure to resist planar movement upon assembly on top of a subfloor, particularly on top of carpeting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to disclose a modular flooring structure which is simple to assemble and disassemble.

It is a further object to disclose a modular flooring structure which is simple and robust in design.

It is a further object to disclose a structure which resists planar movement with respect to a subfloor upon which the temporary floor is assembled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a single modular flooring element.

FIG. 2A is a section view of the flooring structure.

FIG. 2B is a section view of the flooring structure.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a locking element.

FIG. 3B is a side view of a locking element.

FIG. 4 is an end view of a support element.

FIG. 5 is an end view of an edge element.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of two adjacent modular elements prior to complete assembly.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two adjacent modular elements in an assembled position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a modular flooring system which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. The modular elements lock together to prevent movement in all planar directions.

Gripping regions are arranged along a bottom surface of the locking and the support elements. These gripping regions prevent slippage of the modular flooring elements with respect to a subfloor upon which the modular flooring elements are placed.

Edge elements arranged along edges of the modular elements serve to protect the edges of the flooring elements, and also are arranged to interlock with the locking elements to prevent relative movement between the modular elements.

The locking elements from each modular element have surfaces which abut adjacent locking elements from respective adjacent modular elements.

The interlocking of the locking elements with the edge elements prevents pulling apart of the modular elements.

The abutment of the adjacent locking elements prevents relative sliding between adjacent modular elements.

The locking elements and the support element are easily attached to the modular elements via rivets screws or similar fasteners.

FIG. 1 shows a single flooring module element 1.

A number of modular elements 1 may be interlocked together to form a temporary floor set upon a subfloor. One example of the application of such a temporary floor is the assembly of a dance floor on top of a carpeted area to accommodate dancing during a celebration.

The top surface of the modular element may be in one embodiment a hardwood flooring material.

FIG. 2A shows a section through the modular element, without the top surface hardwood elements. A locking element 1 is attached by rivets or other fasteners 7 to a flooring base 5. The flooring base may in one embodiment be a plywood or presswood material.

Edge element 3 is clamped between the locking element 2 and the flooring base 5.

Locking finger 13 extends into a receiving section 14 of a support element 4. This facilitates a secure connection between the locking element 2 and the support element 4, and also eliminates the necessity of a second fastener 7 at one end of the support element 4.

Locking element subfloor interface 8 and support element subfloor interface 9 are the surfaces that rest upon the top surface of the subfloor.

Textured surfaces on the locking element subfloor interface 8 and/or support element subfloor interface 9 provide a secure connection with the subfloor and prevent slippage between the modular elements and the subfloor.

In one embodiment the textured surfaces are serrations. These serrations may be arranged in opposite directions on the locking element and the support element, and may take the form of approximately 90° v-shaped serrations.

FIG. 3A shows a locking element 2 having a locking finger 13 which mates with a receiving surface of a support element 4, shown in FIG. 4. Locking element 2 has a locking element interlocking edge 10 which mates with edge element interlocking portion 11 of the edge element 3 shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 3B shows a different embodiment of the locking element 2. This embodiment is arranged to butt up against a support element side 15 where it is designed to have the longitudinal axis of the locking element 2 and the support element 4 to be perpendicular to each other, for example at the corner of a modular element 1.

FIG. 6 shows two modular elements 1 as they are being moved together to lock.

FIG. 7 shows to modular elements 1 in their interlocked position. Side movement abutment surfaces 12 butt against each other preventing side-to-side slippage between the modular elements.

Locking element interlocking edge 10 mates with edge element interlocking portion 11 to prevent separation of the modular elements.

The locking element interlocking edge 10 is in one embodiment more them 90° with respect to the plane of the flooring, to prevent snagging, in order to facilitate assembly and disassembly.

In one embodiment the edge element interlocking position has a width which corresponds closely with the distance between the locking element interlocking edges of two interlocked modular elements, to facilitate a tight fit between interlocked modular elements. 

1. I claim a plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements, comprising: individual flooring module elements, having a flooring base and a flooring surface, a plurality of locking elements disposed on an underside of each flooring module element, said locking elements having a locking element projection, a locking element interlocking edge disposed on said locking element projection, said interlocking edge facing upwards from a subfloor upon which the modular elements are temporarily installed, a plurality of support elements disposed on the underside of each flooring module element, each of said locking elements and said support elements having a subfloor interface which contacts and rests upon the subfloor, edge elements disposed along abutment edges of each modular element, said elements having an edge element interlocking portion disposed at an underside of said flooring base, said locking elements having an edge element receiving section and said locking element interlocking edge which mate with said edge element interlocking portion to prevent relative movement tending to separate adjacent modular elements, said locking elements each having a side movement abutment surface which butts against the side movement abutment surface of an adjacent locking element to prevent side to side relative movement between modular elements, wherein Said modular elements being readily assembled to form a temporary flooring surface over a subfloor, and being readily diassembled to remove the temporary flooring.
 2. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 1, said locking element projection extending beyond an abutment edge of a modular element to which said locking element is attached, At least one of said locking element subfloor interface and said support element subfloor interface being a serrated surface, wherein said serrated surface grips said subfloor to prevent slippage of said modular element with respect to said subfloor.
 3. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 2, wherein said locking element subfloor interface and said support element subfloor interface each have a serrated surface.
 4. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 3, wherein serrations of said serrated surface of said locking element subfloor interface are arranged perpendicular to serrations of said serrated surface of said locking element subfloor interface.
 5. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 3, wherein said locking element has a locking finger extending from an end distal to said locking element projection, said support element having a receiving section which mates with said locking finger to stably connect said locking element with said support element.
 6. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 5, further comprising fastening elements which extend between and connect together said locking elements and said support elements to said flooring base.
 7. A plurality of temporarily and removably installed flooring modular elements according to claim 6, wherein said flooring surface is chemically fastened over a top surface of said flooring base, said flooring surface covering a top portion of said fastening elements. 